The Latest: Sandra Bland attorney says settlement ‘absolute’

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The Latest: Sandra Bland attorney says settlement ‘absolute’

HOUSTON, TX-The Latest on the wrongful-death lawsuit filed by the family of a black Chicago-area woman who died in a Texas jail cell last summer (all times local):

1 p.m.

An attorney for the family of Sandra Bland says a $1.9 million settlement with the Texas county where she died in a jail cell is “absolute” and the civil lawsuit will be dismissed in several days.

Cannon Lambert was responding to comments from the defendants’ attorney that the settlement was not final and that the parties were still working through details.

Lambert told The Associated Press in an interview at his Chicago office that the deal requires the county to have a nurse or EMT at the jail during all shifts and to install electronic sensors to ensure staff are properly monitoring inmates.

Lambert says the county also agreed to help seek statewide legislation to seekfunding for training jail personnel to better care for those in its custody.

Authorities have said Bland killed herself three days after she was arrested by a state trooper for a minor traffic offense. Bland’s family later sued the county and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

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10:35 a.m.

The attorney for the Texas county where Sandra Bland died in a jail cell last summer says a potential settlement of her family’s wrongful death lawsuit has been reached but isn’t final.

Waller County attorney Larry Simmons also said Thursday that the parties agreed in writing that the agreement would be kept confidential until it was finalized.

Simmons says the county and lawyers for Bland’s family are “still working through a few details,” and that any settlement must be approved by the county commissioners. He also says the county “vigorously” denies any fault or wronging in Bland’s death.

The family’s attorney, Cannon Lambert, told Houston television station KTRK that the lawsuit was being settled for $1.9 million and requires several changes at the jail, including having a 24-hour nurse or emergency medical technician on duty.

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9 a.m.

A lawyer for the family of Sandra Bland, a black Chicago-area woman who died in a Texas jail after a contentious traffic stop last summer, says a $1.9 million settlement has been reached in the family’s wrongful death lawsuit.

Attorney Cannon Lambert tells Houston television station KTRK the settlement includes a provision that the Waller County Jail have a 24-hour nurse or emergency medical technician on duty.

Authorities have said Bland killed herself three days after she was arrested by a state trooper for a minor traffic offense. Bland’s family later sued the county and the Texas Department of Public Safety.

County officials, the sheriff’s office and their lawyer didn’t immediately return messages Thursday from The Associated ress. Bland’s sister also didn’t immediately respond to a phone message seeking comment.